Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Delhi Daredevils have started upgrading their coaching staff in a bid to win the IPL season 11 trophy. The franchise’s Chief Executive Hemant Dua announced that while former Australia all-rounder James Hopes is appointed as the new bowling coach, ex-Assam and Railways cricketer Subhadeep Ghosh will be the fielding coach. The duo will be now working in close cooperation with head-coach Ricky Ponting.

While Delhi Daredevils appointed new Head Coach (Ricky Ponting), bowling coach (James Hopes), and fielding coach (Shubhadeep Ghosh), the rest of the coaching staff will remain unchanged, with former cricketers Pravin Amre and Sridharan Sriram as assistant coaches. Sunil Valson is Delhi Daredevils’ team manager and Paul Close will continue his role as the physiotherapist, along with the fitness coach Rajinikanth Sivagnanam.

James Hopes and Shubhadeep Ghosh’s credentials

James Hopes has played 84 ODIs and 12 T20Is for Australia, apart from representing Queensland well over a decade. He has also featured in the Indian Premier League previously for three different franchises, which includes Delhi Daredevils (2011) too. James Hopes had retired from all formats of international cricket in 2016, and had taken up coaching, for both Queensland and Brisbane Heat in the Australian Big Bash League (BBL).

On the other hand, Shubhadeep Ghosh has represented Assam and Railways in domestic cricket, following which he turned into a specialist fielding coach. Previously, he has served as the fielding coach of Assam from 2010 to 2017, and is the fielding coach of the Andhra Pradesh team in the Ranji Trophy currently.

Hemant Dua welcomes James Hopes and Shubhdeep Ghosh to Delhi Daredevils family

Shubhadeep Ghosh has also done stints at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and the Zonal Cricket Academy (ZCA). As reported by mid-day, Delhi Daredevils Chief Executive Hemant Dua said,

“Once our auction strategy paid off, it was time to also appoint key personnel in the coaching staff. (Head Coach) Ricky (Ponting) has had great inputs in both the selection of players and the support staff. We are absolutely delighted to welcome both James (Hopes) and Subhadeep (Ghosh) into the Daredevils family.”

“For James (Hopes) it is a sort of homecoming as he has played for Delhi Daredevils earlier. Now he comes with immense experience both as a cricketer and a coach. He will be a great asset for the squad as we have some excellent young fast bowlers. Subhadeep (Ghosh) has been a specialist fielding coach for close to a decade at various levels in first-class cricket and the NCA. We are certain that he will add a lot of value to the squad.”